Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-04-16
women,s Work by the Baltic.

In region of such great prosperity and wealth, writes F. D. Mullet in April HGrper's Mdgdztne, we scarcely knew what to make of cluster of novels by the roadside, within sight of the slender spires of Stralsuud. They were built like gipSy huts. dug out of the hillside and rooted with turf A half-dozen ragged children were play ing with a large dog-cart, and the great ugly beast accustomed to draw the vehicle growled from bis turf ken mel as we passed Our driver, whose local pride was shocked at the sight of this wretched camp, hastened to explain that the people were nothing but Schleswigers, roLd- builders by trade, who were engaged to break stones to repair the chaussce. A little further on we came upon a score of these peo- pie at work. For fully mile ahead of us there was a line of stone heaps along the road, and the stone-bredkers were energetically hammering their way through this mass of hinty field stones. Sheltered from the sun by rude awnings of mating, young girls, bright-eyed and ruddy-cheeked, pound- ed away with heavy hammers on the large fragments into which the men and women had split tho stones. Children and old women broke the pieces still smaller. and piled them in regular heaps. There was something cocuettish in the dress of the young girls, which was quite out of harmony with their occupation. A bright hand kerchief wound turban-like around the head set of the deop brown of their faces. and gave a softness to the wealth er-roughened skin. A bodice of strong cloth fitted closely to the plump figure, and Q short petticoat was girded close ly to the legs. showing bronzed feet and ankles, well-modeled and graceful, though neither small nor soft. Chat ting merrily as they hammered, they were the picture of health and con- tentment Their hands, somewhat protected from the rough stones by flaps of thick leather, showed to what a coarse and rude occupation their lives had been devoted, for they were as hard and knotted as those of the men, their fellow-laborers. Here was q life-work for a woman-wielding a heavy sledge-hammer all day long, lifting and handling rough stones from the time she has eaten her black bread and raw onions in the morning until she retires to the straw heap in the mud bus at night. Why women should be engaged in such convict labor in 8 country where prosperity is the rule, was a problem which we were unable to solve. We found out, after a chat with them, that the Schlsswigers aTt famous for their skill in road-building and arc sought for the country over tt repair the chaussees. They said smart stone-breaker could earn 4 marks week (about S10).
 "If the men didn't spend all the earn in a spree every payday we'd b well off," grumbled an old woman whose face was the texture of drie fig, and her hands all gnarled and cal loused like some strange animal claws. "It is free life, wanderin wherever work calls us, and we shoul be able to live at our ease in the wifi ter but for the money that goes fc schnapps."
 At this bit of moralizing those wh were near enough to hear broke into
 hearty laugh, and joined in denouncin the old woman as the first in the con pany to finish her bottle.